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NBA legend: 'You have to always be on the top of your game'

By Katina Caraganis , kcaraganis@sentinelandenterprise.com

Updated:
03/23/2013 08:07:13 AM EDT

SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE/ JOHN LOVE
Kelli Rooney with Health Alliance Hospital gets a picture with former Boston Celtic JoJo White as he signed books at the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce breakfast in Leominster on Friday.

LEOMINSTER -- It's not everyday that you get the opportunity to meet, talk to and get the autograph of a NBA legend who is a seven-time all-star and an Olympic gold medalist.

White was there promoting a book he and a local historian wrote chronicling White's career. Mark Bodanza, who wrote the book, usually writes about football, but said he has a passion for all sports.

"I didn't see this as a switch, per se," said Bodanza. "JoJo had an amazing career on and off the court and it's something I knew I wanted to focus on.

SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE/ JOHN LOVE
Writer Mark Bodanza and former Celtics player JoJo White, were the guests for North Central MA Chamber of Commerce's Good Morning Breakfast on Friday morning. They also signed copies of the book "Make It Count," about White's life and career.

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Bodanza is a historian and trial lawyer who has written three books and a slew of newspaper articles on history. He has also been a guest on various radio programs as a football history expert.

White started his basketball career at the University of Kansas where he scored more than 1,200 points in his four year career. He went on to play on the U.S. basketball team during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, leading his team to an undefeated 9-0 run and a gold metal.

White was drafted in 1969 by the Celtics, who had just won their 11th championship in 13 years. He was named an NBA All-Star seven years in a row and led the Celtics to NBA championships in 1974 and 1976.

White was traded to the Golden State Warriors in 1979 and retired in 1981 with the Kansas City Kings.

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He scored 14,399 points during his career, and his No. 10 jersey hangs from the rafters at the TD Garden.

White said that throughout his career he always thought he had a good story to tell but never knew how to go about getting it out there. When he was approached by Bodanza, he knew the timing was right.

"Few people wind up doing what they want to do in life, and I'm one of the fortunate people who got to do everything they wanted," he said. "I absolutely adore basketball. My whole life was being as good as I could be. I wanted to be a good basketball player and a good teammate."

White and Bodanza fielded questions from local television personality Barbara Foster before taking questions from the audience. One of the biggest game changes White has seen since his playing days is the rule that players only have to complete one full year of college before entering the NBA draft.

"What can you honestly learn in one full year at a college or university? Nothing," he said. "I have so many things I want to pass on to the younger generations. Once you pay them, there's nothing motivating then. It hurts the game."

Bodanza agreed, saying that younger players often have no concept of how to manage the money and fame that comes with entering the NBA. He said they need to be taught how to be successful off the court, as well.

"You're throwing a lot of money at them almost instantly at a time when they don't have the maturity to know what to do with it, " he said. "You have an opportunity to work with them and you have to seize it."

White also fielded questions about his pick to win the NCAA college basketball tournament (his alma mater Kansas), who he thinks is the best player in the NBA (LeBron James), and his advice to high school students looking to play college basketball.

"When you're not working, somebody else is and they'll be your competition," White told a female student from Fitchburg's North Central Essential Charter School. "You have to always be on the top of your game the whole time. You have to keep working."

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